Netflix will need a show to replace its renowned retro hit now that ​​​​​​Stranger Things season 5 is confirmed to be the story’s conclusion, and the company should revisit the original series it prematurely canceled. Over the years, viewers have developed a deep affection for Stranger Things‘ cast and characters, but a show with a similar subject and style has the potential to inspire as much interest. In fact, both shows have suffered due to the pandemic, with Stranger Things surviving thanks to its already massive audience and the other facing too many production challenges worth justifying for an up-and-coming series.

People have praised Stranger Things for pairing supernatural scares with childhood nostalgia to create an expansive viewing experience, one that blends fantasy with the realistic pains of puberty. However, given that nearly three years have passed since the Stranger Things season 4 ending, viewers will have to adapt to unanticipated age changes that could alter character dynamics. This unintended time jump demonstrates that Netflix is willing to be flexible when necessary, and it may be necessary soon as the conclusion of Stranger Things leaves a gap in the streamer’s teen thriller content that another show could fill.

The last season of Stranger Things is expected to premiere sometime in 2025.

I Am Not Okay With This Would’ve Been Netflix’s Perfect Stranger Things Replacement

The Similar Supernatural Series Could Have Expanded On Stranger Things’ Cultural Impact

Based on a graphic novel, I Am Not Okay With This is a dark comedy that follows awkward high school student Sydney Novak when she develops telekinetic powers while also navigating the typical trials of being a teen. The mystical and mundane sides of her self-discovery match what the Stranger Things kids undergo as they battle demogorgons and raging hormones, giving viewers a relatable entryway into an otherwise fantastical exploration of the upside-down. With both shows approaching science-fiction through a realistic lens, I Am Not Okay With This could have continued the work Stranger Things started in progressing the genre.

Why Netflix Should (& Could) Revive I Am Not Okay With This

Stranger Things Proves That Past COVID Challenges Can Be Counteracted In The Current Day

When Netflix canceled I Am Not Okay With This, the company cited COVID-19 restrictions as the reason. Filming delays made supporting a niche project too difficult at the time, but the prolonged break that Stranger Things was able to take is in the show’s past now that the cast has reunited, demonstrating that productions derailed by the pandemic would no longer face such challenges. Netflix now has the ability to reboot the project it initially planned to continue, and the streamer certainly needs to invest in content like I Am Not Okay With This once its most popular supernatural series ends.

Adding a coming-of-age twist to science fiction, both shows ground a fictional genre in real life, and this kind of innovation will still be wanted once both series are over.

Since viewers still have questions about I Am Not Okay With This after season 1’s cliffhanger finale, Netflix should take advantage of the lingering intrigue with a reboot that replaces Stranger Things. Adding a coming-of-age twist to science fiction, both shows ground a fictional genre in real life, and this kind of innovation will still be wanted once both series are over. Though the pandemic posed valid challenges, the persistence of Stranger Things shows that enough improvements have been made in the entertainment industry since 2020 to give budding shows like I am Not Okay With This a fair chance.